Missoula
Western Montana hub
Missoula is a city in western Montana, the state's second-largest, situated in a valley where five mountain ranges converge.
Home to the University of Montana, it serves as the cultural and economic hub of the region.
The name comes from a Salish word, variously interpreted as meaning "near the cold waters" or "place of fear."
Montana's informal name
- Lewis and ClarkEarly 1800s expedition leaders
- grizzly bearLarge North American ursine
- cutthroat troutNative western fish, marked jaw
- elkLarge North American cervid
Recreational trail walking
- Blue MountainJamaican highland coffee origin
- trailheadHiking path entrance
- fly fishingCatching fish with imitation insects
- raftingTraveling on buoyant platform
skiing · mountain biking · rock climbing · camping · backpacking · wildlife · wilderness · national forest
Central business district
- First FridayMonthly gallery open house
- breweriesBeer production facilities
- local shopsNearby retail establishments
- neighborhoodsResidential districts of towns
residents · arts scene · nonprofits · activism · progressivism · volunteerism · festivals · music venues
Institutional grounds and buildings
- studentsThose receiving instruction
- professorsHighest-ranking university instructors
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- OvalNamed venue or room
journalism school · creative writing · MFA program · alumni · scholarships · dormitories · lectures · seminars
Meeting point of streams
- fly fishingCatching fish with imitation insects
- float tripsLeisurely raft journeys downstream
- riversideArea bordering a stream
- riparianRelating to riverbanks
watershed · trout · rapids · current · kayaking · riverfront
Big Sky Country
Montana's informal name
- Lewis and ClarkEarly 1800s expedition leaders
- grizzly bearLarge North American ursine
- cutthroat troutNative western fish, marked jaw
hiking
Recreational trail walking
- Blue MountainJamaican highland coffee origin
- trailheadHiking path entrance
- fly fishingCatching fish with imitation insects
rafting · skiing · mountain biking · rock climbing · camping · backpacking · wildlife · wilderness · national forest · peaks
downtown
Central business district
- First FridayMonthly gallery open house
- breweriesBeer production facilities
- local shopsNearby retail establishments
neighborhoods · residents · arts scene · nonprofits · activism · progressivism · volunteerism · festivals · music venues · food co-op
campus
Institutional grounds and buildings
- studentsThose receiving instruction
- professorsHighest-ranking university instructors
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
Oval · journalism school · creative writing · MFA program · alumni · scholarships · dormitories · lectures · seminars · undergraduate
confluence
Meeting point of streams
- fly fishingCatching fish with imitation insects
- float tripsLeisurely raft journeys downstream
- riversideArea bordering a stream
riparian · watershed · trout · rapids · current · kayaking · riverfront
- MontanaGlacier National Park, Yellowstone, Bozeman, Great Falls, Big Sky Country
- Montana HistoryHelena, Virginia City, statehood, copper mining, mining camps
- Lumber TownsSawyer, McCloud, Weed, Shelton, Longview
- Pacific NorthwestAlaska, Seattle, Oregon, Vancouver, Washington
- Plains CitiesBismarck, Fargo, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Sioux City
- Western TownsTombstone, Deadwood, Dodge, Abilene, Virginia City